Hansel & Gretel (English)

Many changes have taken place since my last blog.
Yesterday, Sunday, was the day of the eggs retrieval.
This is a moment I feared greatly, but you know what they say: When you got to go, you got to go!!!

We arrived at the hospital for 7:45 am. When we arrived, there was nobody, the floor was completely deserted. I wondered if we were at the right place. Maybe we were supposed to go in another pavilion to collect eggs??
I toured the floor and there was really nobody, just me and Jay. The door to the operating room was open, there was no one inside either. So I took the opportunity to take pictures for you.

Shortly after, I heard a noise so I went to see. It was the nurse who would take care of me during the procedure. She was extremely nice.  Michelle thank you very much for your attention, your compassion and your good care.

Let me explain to you how the retrieval surgery was for me:
First, my nurse assigned me a bed in the waiking up room and asked me to change. She then handed me a Gucci robe with the finest Prada hat and Christian Louboutin slippers!!!! I wish!
Then, she installed an intravenous infusion of saline in order to properly hydrate me and later she would give me the drugs using the same line.
Jay has accompanied me in the operating room so he must change too. Jay has had the royal treatment as well. I think we just started a new trend. Wow! I rather think we found our Halloween costumes for next year. Lol!

Finally the big moment arrived. In retrospect, I think it went extremely well, quite better than I have imagined. Around 9:10, I was installed in the room, Michelle injected the wawawewa medication (Midazolam, Fentanyl) and after that, I just remember being in la la land! I barely remember the arrival of the doctor and early treatment. Dr Buckett administered local anesthesia (which I haven't felt much of it happening) and then he proceeded to collect our little Easter eggs. I congratulate the researchers who discovered all these medications. It's really wonderful. With these drugs, I felt almost nothing and the collection went extremely well.... I am even willing to say that it was better then an appointment at the dentist ...... seriously! The retrieval lasted about 20 minutes and all was over.

During collection, we can see what the doctor retrieved on a giant screen. It looked a bit like this:

 The eggs are the little black dot that you see on the image. In the case of this picture, there are 7 eggs.

In our case, they were able to collect three eggs. Then, these 3 eggs were sent to the laboratory to be fertilized by sperm from Jay. We'll know tomorrow if fertilization has worked or not.

When surgery was completed, Michelle asked me to get up very slowly and to sit in a wheelchair so she could take me back to the wake-up room. During the operation, I really did not feel the effect of the drugs on me, but when I stood up ..... ouffff! I became dizzy. I really saw the impact that the drugs had on me. I was pretty hipsy dipsy! The only thing I remember saying is: "wow! it's spinning!" and then poufff!
I am in my dreams, I see many things, many faces that I am not able to remember 
when suddenly I hear: "Isabelle? Isabelle? Isabelle?"
I opened my eyes and I saw Michelle. Oh! Oh! I fainted? Well, yes. I wipe out as they say!

I was exhausted, apparently, I was white as a ghost. My heart was beating at 30 beats per minute, my pulse was 83/48. (normal is around 120/80) I was very low. I was also very cold, my hands and my feet were frozen.

Michelle monitored me every 5 minutes. Jay warmed me up and then after 30 minutes I felt a lot better. I was able to drink some water and I ate an orange. Around 10:42, I was ready to go.
I felt a lot better and most importantly, I wanted a coffee. Starbucks please.

We have spoken with Mom and Dad Louis XVI on the phone and we went for a visit at Mom and Dad Bouvier. We have eaten a little and then we came home. Until 16:00, I was very impressed. I felt tired, but in general I felt great. I was told that I was allowed to take Tylenol if I had pain. What pain? I feel nothing at all.

Do not talk to quickly sweety.... I couldn't feel anything because I was still frozen by local anesthesia. But when it went away.............
My Gosh! WHERE ARE THE TYLENOLS ?????
I ache in the lower abdomen. I feel like I have been doing 100,000 sit-up + menstrual cramps + "paper cut" inside the belly.

Obviously, in our pharmacy we have Advil, Bufferin, Motrin, and Aspirins but no Tylenol. My sweetheart is so nice. He went to get me some.  He came back with something else as well.......He bought me a chocolate bar

Isn't it sweet?
MYLO, You the you the best!
He is so nice, attentionate, caring. I married a really rare find. Jay is truly an extraordinary man and I know He will be an amazing father. I love you my honey.

Apart from the Tylenol, I have 4 other medications to take.
Medrol: Against inflammation
Apo-Doxy-Tabs: Antibiotic
Estrace: estrogen replacement
Prometrium: Replacement of progesterone.

I was told I had to take the estrace and prometrium to replace the "corpus luteum or yellow body", which could not be created because there was no ovulation and fertilization that occurred inside my body. The corpus luteum function is to secrete progesterone when the egg has been fertilized. So I have to replace this natural phenomenon by capsules. Progesterone's role is to maintain the uterine lining for accommodating the embryo at implantation. Normally, when the embryo is fixed, the corpus luteum will continue and produce progesterone during early pregnancy. He disappeared around the 3rd or 4th month when the placenta becomes a self-sufficient. When this production will cease, it will be delivery.

The best news of our lives: 
This morning, Monday January 17 at 10:48, I received a call from the McGill Reproductive Centre.
We have 2 eggs fertilized.
Our future children really exist now, they were created on January 16th 2011. It's so wonderful, a real miracle.

We must go to Royal Victoria tomorrow so we can perform embryo transfer(s).
I do not know yet whether they will transfer the two or only one embryo.
We hope they will not separate Hansel & Gretel. (That's how I call them.)
We are ready to be parents and we would be delighted to welcome twins, but above all, we are ready to welcome a healthy baby.

I also have an appointment on February 1st.  This time it will be for a pregnancy test.
We will know at this point if I am officially pregnant.
In the meantime, please send us your good vibes, we really need all the positive energy possible.
This will be the best birthday present I've ever had. My birthday is February 3. :-)

I will give you more news tomorrow. Until then, well I'll take hormones. LOL!
XXXXXX
Isabelle, Jay, Hansel & Gretel